Bag closure means



Jan. 3, 1939. e. c. NYDEGGER 2,142,330

BAG CLOSURE MEANS Filed July 15, 1936 ,INVENTOR.

- G.C.NYDEG m A'rToRNEY Patented 1.... s, 1939 UNITED. STATES PATENTOFFICE I 2,142,330 nae CLOSURE MEAN's George C. Nydegger, Alameda,Calif.

Application July 13, 1936, Serial No. 90,291 8 Claims. (01. 229-62) Theinvention relates to closure means particularly adapted for closing theopen ends of bags, or' the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a 5 closure means of thecharacter described which may be easily and readily applied to a bag forclosing the open end'thereof and with substantially equal ease removedfor opening the bag and when once removed may be re-used as often 10 asdesired to close the bag with its partially filled contents.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure means of thecharacter above which will not require the use of glue, staples or otherconventional fastening means and will not require the fastenedattachment of any'portlon of the means to the bag but, on the contrary,will be III completely removable therefrom and the locking meansexclusively carried by the closure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure of the abovecharacter which, in addition to its function of closing and re-enforcingthe open end of the bag or the like, will afford an attractive'displayfor printed matter and 25 will be so arranged as to permit mounting ofpart thereof at the inner side of the bag where the wall of the bag isformed of transparent material so as to avoid the necessity of printingdirectly upon such material.

30 The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, someof which,. with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompany- 35 ing and forming part of the specification.It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made bythe said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims 40 Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a closure nieans constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figures 2, 3, and 4, are perspective views 4 showing the closure stepsin the application of the closure to abag..

Figure 5 is a rear view of t e closure in attached position. r

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially 50 on the plane of line6 -8 of Figure 5, with the thickness of the several parts increased inview of clarity.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of a modified form of the closure.

65- Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of the steps employed inattaching the form of the closure illustrated in Figure 7 to the bag. I

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of lineIll-l0 of Figure 9, and shown with the thickness of the several partsincreased in view of clarity.

The closure means illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises ablank I2, preferably of cardboard or other stiffened paper or metal orthe like, and which is adapted for posi-, 0 tioning over the upper openend I3, of a bag, I4, for closing the bag. As will be more clearlyunderstood hereafterjthe blank is formed for folding together with theopen end of the bag so as to provide a. series of interlocking foldswhich prevents the removal of the closure from the bag and also theunfolding of the closure itself. To this end, the blank is formed with aplurality of scored lines I6, I! and I8 which divide the blank into apluralityof adjacent trans- 9- again folded along the line H, wherebythe strip i9 is turned down against the side 24 of the bag and theengaged portions l9 and 2| 0! the blank and the upper. end 3 of the bagdisposed opposite the portion 22 of the blank. As will be understood,and asvreadiiy seen from Figure 6, this latter fold inter-seams theupper end of the bag with the portions I9, 2| and 22 of the blank andthereby not only looks the blank against removal from the bag, but alsopositively seals off and closes the upperend of the bag. To hold-the bagandclosure in the last mentioned folded position there is provided atthe opposite ends of the strip 22 a pair of tabs 26 which extendtransversely from the strip 22' and are adapted for bending I around theends of the folded formation of the blank and bag for extension into thespace between the strips l9 and 2| to securely lock the blank againstunfolding. To facilitate the insertion of the tabs into this space theends 21,

of the strip 2| may be cut away to define receiving portions for thetabs. Also, if desired, the tabs may be provided with nibs 28 whichcooperate with cut out portions 29 adjacent the ends of the strip IQ fornormally holding the tabs against withdrawal. The character of the nlbss5 and cut out portions may be varied to aflord a releasable attachmentor a positive lock as desired.

With the closure thus applied to a bag, the extremity 23 of the blank iscaused to overlie the front side 3| of the bag and may be bent at theline i 3 to assume a position inclined to the normal vertical positionof the folded portions. I also prefer to form in the section I3 asegment 32, which is severed from the section and extended to the linei3 to enable the bending of this segment on the line l3 independent ofthe section l3. Thus, on folding of the several portions as aforesaid,the segment 32 will remain out of the folds and normally lie against therear side 24 of the bag in a manner similar to the positioning of thesection 23 at the front side of the bag. These two depending portions 23and 32 provide an important function of holding the folded portion ofthe blank erect to properly display printed matter which may beimpressed thereon and also provide an appreciable area for the receiptof printed matter on their own surfaces. If desired the scored lines l6and I 3 may be omitted to increase the rigidity of the vertical supportfor the folded portions provided by the sections 23 and 32. Thesedepending members also assist in re-enforcing the top of the bagadjacent the folds. Where, as in some instances, it is desirable to bendthe folded portions of the closure down flat against the top of the bagto facilitate packing and where further the use of the printed matter onthe depending portions 23 and 32 is not required, these two portions maybe dispensed with without affecting the character of the interlockedclosure of the portions I3, 2| and 22. In such instances, the segment 32may be left integrally with the portion l3 and the blank terminated atthe line l3 with portion 23 deleted.

A modified form of the invention has been illustrated in Figures 7 to 10of the drawing in which the closure has been particularly designed foruse with bags of transparent material, or having a window of transparentmaterial. The blank I 2' of this embodiment is formed with a series ofscored lines 33, 34, 33 and 31 and defined between these lines are aplurality of strips or areas 33, 33; 4!, 42 and 43, which are adapted ina manner similar to that illustrated in the first embodiment tointerfold with the upper end of the bag. In applying the blank to thebag, the blank is folded along the line 33 to position the areas 33, 33and 4| opposite to the areas 42 and 43, and the areas 42 and 43 areplaced within the upper end of the bag while the areas 33, 33 and 4| areplaced against the outer side of the bag, as illustrated in Figure 8.The blank is next folded along the lines 34 and 31, as illustrated inFigure 9, to crimp the upper end of the bag within the folded blankportions as further illustrated in Figure 10. To hold the blank in thislatter folded position, a pair of tabs 26' are formed at the ends of thestrip 33 and are bent around the ends of the folded portion and insertedinto the space between the areas 4| and 42, as shown in Figure 10, tolock the several portions against unfolding. As will be understood, thestrip 43 is placed at the inner side of the transparent portion of thebag whereby any printed matter placed thereon may. be read and advantageis further taken of the gloss imparted to such printed matter by theusual character of the transparent material to increase the generalattractiveness of the assembly. Also, as

will be clear from Figure 10, the blank portion 33 is arranged to lieagainst the rear side of the bag and co-operates with the blank portion43 to hold the folded areas of the blank erect as in the firstembodiment.

It will now be understood that the closure means of the presentinvention may be simply and readily attached to the open end of a bag,for not only closing the bag, but also re-enforcing the upper endthereof, and when so attached will provide an attractive display forprinted matter which would otherwise need be placed on the bag itself.It will further be understood that the closure may be readily removedfrom the bag to permit its opening simply by withdrawing the tabs 23 andafter the desired contents of the bag have been removed, the closure maybe again applied thereto and in this manner re-used for a substantiallyunlimited period. a

I claim:

l. A closure means of the character described comprising, a blank ofmaterial having adjacent portions foldable one over another to interlocktherebetween the open end of the bag or the like,

said bag, portions adjacent said blank end being adapted for folding oneover theother to lock therebetween the open end of said bag, and meansfor holding said portions in folded position against removal from saidbag comprising, tabs extending transversely from one of said portionsforming an outer side of said blank in folded position and bendablearound the ends of the folded portions to an opposite side thereof, andinterlocking cut-out and projections portions on said last named sideand said tabs.

3. A closure means for a bag or the like, comprising, a blank ofmaterial adapted for foldin to dispose the free ends thereofrespectively within and without the open end of the bag, theintermediate portion of said blank having adjacent portions adapted forfolding one over the other and together with the open bag end tointerlock said end within the folds of said portions, tabs extendiblefrom the ends of one of said portions forming an outer side of the blankin folded position and bendable around the ends of said folds to anopposite side thereof, and interlocking cut-out and projection portionson said last named side and said tabs.

4. A closure means for a bag comprising, a separate member adapted forplacing against the open end of a bag and along the side walls thereofand having a plurality of adjacent portions foldable with the bag sidewalls into a plurality of folds locking the side walls and said membertogether, and tabs of relatively stiff material extending transverselyfrom the opposite ends of one of said member portions forming an outerside of said folds and bendable around the ends of said folds to anopposite side thereo f to hold the same from unfolding, said memberhaving cut-away portions at opposite edges of said lastnamed side forreceiving said tabs into the interior of the fold formed by said side tohold the tabs therein from unfolding.

5. A closure means for a bag comprising, a sepopen end of a bag andalong the side walls there of and having a plurality of adjacentportions foldable with the bag side walls into a plurality of foldslocking the side walls and said member together, and tabs of relativelystiff material extending transversely from the opposite sides of saidmember at one side of said folds and.bendable around the ends of saidfolds, said member being formed with cut-away portions at opposite edgesof an opposite side of said folds for receiving said tabs into theinterior of one of said folds to hold the same from unfolding.

6. A closure means for a bag comprising, a separate member adapted forplacing against the open end of a bag and along the side walls thereofand having a plurality of adjacent portions foldable with the bag sidewalls into a plurality of folds locking the side walls and said membertogether, tabs extended transversely from one of said member portionsforming an outer side of said member in folded position and bendablearound the ends of said folds to an opposite side thereof, cut-outportions in said member on said last named side, and hooked portions onsaid tabs for locking the same in said out-out portions.

7. A closure means for a bag comprising, a separate member adapted forplacing against the of and having a plurality of adjacent portionsfoldable with the bag sidewalls into a plurality of folds locking theside walls and said member together, tabs extended transversely from one5 of said member portions forming an outer side of said member infolded'position and bendable around the ends of said folds to anopposite side thereof, and interlocking cut-out and projection portionson said last named side and said tabs.

8. A closure means for a bag comprising,'a separate member adapted forplacing against the open end of a bag and along the side walls thereofand having a plurality of adjacent portions foldable with the bag sidewalls into a plurality of folds locking the side walls and said membertogether, tabs extended transversely from one of said member portionsforming an outer side of 'said member in folded position and bendablearound the ends of said folds and into the interior of one of saidfolds, said member being provided with cut-out portions at said lastnamed fold spaced from the ends of said folds, and projections on saidtabs for locking in said cut-out P rtions.

GEORGE C, NYDEGGER.

